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Broadwater County Commission Meeting
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter

Broadwater County Commission Meeting

Rachael Brug

Staff Reporter

Broadwater County Commissioners moved through a packed agenda July 8, approving a hardship exemption for a soldier deploying overseas, clearing two airport items, and adopting a pair of updated land use policies — while laying the groundwork for broader reforms to subdivision exemption rules.

Soldier's estate planning need prompts hardship variance

The meeting's most immediate action came first. Commission Chair Debi Randolph and fellow commissioners unanimously approved a hardship variance allowing Army Staff Sgt. First Class Cameron Armstrong to transfer a recently received family transfer parcel into a revocable trust before his deployment, scheduled for July 10.

Armstrong, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, received the parcel from Paul Armstrong in May 2025. Current regulations require a two-year waiting period before a family transfer parcel can be conveyed again, but Naomi Cheni of Cheney Law submitted a letter requesting a variance given the military hardship, noting the transfer was necessary to protect Armstrong's minor children's assets in the event something happened during service.

Community Development Director Nichole Brown presented the request. Broadwater County Clerk and Recorder Angie Paulsen, a former military spouse, noted the process is standard procedure before deployment. "I want to thank him for his service," Randolph said after the vote.

Airport lease released; apron work approved

Commissioners approved the release of Parker Chadwick from an airport hangar lease, after the airport board signed off on the termination. Commissioners noted that recent runway work has added hangar space at the airport, so no waiting list currently exists.

Commissioners also approved $12,293.40 for access apron road work at the airport — correcting a typo on the published agenda that had listed the amount as $12.25. Public Works Director T.J. Gravely explained the project will use leftover millings already stored on county property to build a new apron for spray planes and improve access to the new taxiway. Crushed rock for a base layer will cost approximately $1,225. Gravely estimated the two-person crew could complete the work in about a week, targeting either July 20 or 27 to avoid conflicts with the lineman rodeo and county fair.

Miller mortgage survey approved over public objections

Commissioners approved a mortgage tract exemption for James and Melissa Miller on 15.01 acres of a 100-acre parcel they co-own with Jonas and Nancy Coblenz in Section 9, Township 8 North, Range 1 East. The exemption is needed to secure a construction loan through Intrepid Credit Union for completion of a home on the property.

Public commenter Chuck Hahn raised questions about two existing mortgages on the property held by Farmers State Bank, arguing commissioners should verify whether Farmers Bank had consented to Intrepid's mortgage and who would hold priority in the event of a default. Commissioners and Brown engaged in extended discussion before concluding that mortgage priority between lending institutions falls outside the county's purview. "We're not bankers," Randolph said. The motion passed.

Dry boundary relocation clears up 2007 record

Commissioners approved a boundary relocation between lots 53 and 54 of the Wheatland Meadows subdivision, shifting a shared property line roughly 10 feet along the northwest corner of lot 54 to allow vehicles using the storage unit facility to navigate more easily.

The request also resolved a paperwork gap from nearly two decades ago. Brown read into the record a 2007 letter from then-Commissioner James Hahn confirming that the commission had unanimously approved changing lot 53's use from residential to commercial — but the required amended final plat was never filed. The boundary relocation certificate of survey incorporates that commercial designation, cleaning up both matters in a single filing. David Dry, husband of lot owner Karen Dry, confirmed the lot remains vacant.

BLR and RID policies modernized

Commissioners adopted updated Buildings for Lease or Rent regulations, bringing them into compliance with 2025 state legislation that moved RV spaces and mobile home parks from subdivision regulations to BLR oversight. The update also clarifies that BLR fees are nonrefundable. No public comment was received.

Commissioners also adopted a revised Rural Improvement District policy and procedure manual, replacing a 2013 document. Brown and Gravely said the update is more user-friendly and that RID administration will be handled jointly between community development and public works, using FEMA-based rate schedules. The 5% administrative fee is set by state statute. Public commenter Tim Ravendal raised questions about staffing capacity and administrative oversight; staff and commissioners said no new department is contemplated and that outsourcing to an engineering firm is being researched as a future option if demand grows.

Subdivision exemption amendments tabled pending legal review

A lengthy discussion on proposed amendments to the subdivision exemption application was laid on the table pending review by the county attorney's office. Proposed changes discussed include adding a field for a second landowner in boundary relocation applications, updating family transfer MCA citations, rewording a question about prior family member ownership on deeds, adding a question about whether property is encumbered by mortgages or liens, requiring proof of relationship for family transfers, and addressing transfers to minors under state law. The item is expected to return to the agenda on July 22. Proposed amendments to subdivision supplements were also tabled at the request of Deputy County Attorney Haransh Singh, who asked for additional time to review language governing environmental assessments.

Commissioners approved minutes from six meetings spanning May 27 through July 1 and approved a single claim of $40,770.78. The meeting adjourned at 11:44 a.m.